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Under the New York City coronavirus health and safety protocols, unvaccinated players will not be allowed to participate in indoor team activities. This includes games, practices, and media availability. Brooklyn Nets’ star Kyrie Irving was assumed to be an unvaccinated player after missing the team’s media day on September 27. Irving has yet to confirm or deny whether he is vaccinated as he prefers to keep his status private. A stance that Lakers’ legend Shaquille O’Neal disagrees with.
“I try not to belittle another man’s opinion However, let me tell you what I think. In this game of ours, sometimes you have to think about other people rather than yourself. Now, Kyrie has his views. He has his opinions. I’m not going to knock that, but he does have an obligation, because he took that 200 million,” Shaq said on “The Big Podcast with Shaq.” “Only thing I don’t like is, ‘Oh, can you, you know, respect my privacy?’ Once you sign up for this life, there is no privacy, and you have to accept it.”
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Kyrie Irving Held Out of Nets First Practice
Despite Irving wanting to keep his vaccination status private that information is no longer confidential. According to Shams Charania of “The Athletic” Irving was absent from the Nets’ first practice at their facility because of the New York City vaccine mandate. Irving was present during the Nets training camp in San Diego, but under New York’s protocols is not eligible to participate in indoor team activities without receiving the shot.
“Kyrie Irving did not attend Nets practice today, sources tell me and [Alex Schiffer],” Charania tweeted on October 5. “Irving is currently ineligible for home games and practices because of NYC’s vaccination requirement.”
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Andrew Wiggins Speaks on Decision To Get Vaccine
As long as he remains unvaccinated Kyrie will be ruled ineligible to play in any of the Nets’ home games this season. That is a total of 41 games. Irving is scheduled to make $34.9 million this season but for each game missed he could forfeit $425,000.
Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins was in a similar situation as Irving as San Francisco is one of the markets that require players to be vaccinated. Although Wiggins was reluctant to get the shot at first, he did. Wiggins says he was faced with the tough decision of getting the shot or forfeiting his NBA career.
“The only options were to get vaccinated or not play in the NBA It was a tough decision. Hopefully, it works out in the long run and in 10 years I’m still healthy,” Wiggins told reporters per ESPN.
“They didn’t make the rule, but I guess to do certain stuff, to work, I guess you don’t own your body. That’s what it comes down to. If you want to work in society today, then I guess they made the rules of what goes in your body and what you do. Hopefully, there’s a lot of people out there that are stronger than me and keep fighting, stand for what they believe, and hopefully, it works out for them.”
With just under two weeks to go until the Nets season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks, Kyrie will soon have to decide what he will do in terms of the vaccine requirement. It will be a pivotal decision as it not only affects him but the Nets’ title chances as well.
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